UK based Nationwide Platforms - part of France's Loxam group - has reinstated customer service teams at each of its 34 depots, in order it says "to provide an end to end service for customers in each local area."
Warrington depot manager Rob Crowe
Chief executive, Paul Rankin said: “It’s important to us that we are a dependable partner in powered access; that every hire is a hire you can rely on. Our goal is to make our people and our operation more dedicated to serving customers in their local area, enabling us to tailor our specialist service to put customers first.”
The Warrington depot
“The result is an end to end service from the same friendly and familiar people, knowing that if you have a question or an issue there is someone dedicated in your local depot to find a resolution quickly. It’s reassuring to customers that when you call your local depot you are speaking to the same team of people each time, who know and understand your hire needs.”
Established in 1994, Nationwide runs a fleet of around 12,000 machines with 800 employees.
Vertikal Comment
Over the years Nationwide has tried a number of different formats with its depot network, some of which centralised all of the customer service and sales functions, using the depots purely to store, service and dispatch the machines. The argument goes that a central call centre has more people and technology on hand to answer calls or cover sickness and holidays, not to mention looking after national accounts and online bookings at the same location.
The downside is the lack of personal knowledge of an area in a centralised call centre, or the feel for the local fleet and whether a particular machine that has just come back in could be made ready the same day. This is particularly important given that much of the competition in a local area is truly local, with owners on the premises every day, or close by, and employees really knowing the region, while understanding the needs of customers in the area.
The idea is to have both of course, the ability to service big multi nationals, while also having a local service support team. Depending on how this new structure is set up it looks like a positive move. It will be interesting to watch how it pans out in the coming months.
zzr1200
Wincanton Transport was a disaster especially in East London/West Thurrock.
They had a system that worked, depot based transport, hire desk and some good managers, some not so.
Then the head office appoints new depot managers, area manager/directors, with new ideas/systems, people that haven't worked in access and don't know how it works on the ground. I was once told I should turn a Genie 135/70 in less than 2 hours.
outofitnow
I'll never understand why the larger players feel the need to meddle with the business?
20 years ago, the hire desk was in the depot and the hire desk staff had relationships with each and every customer. The national players were served by their own contacts within NWP.
If it ain't broken, why fix it? Does anyone else remember the Wincanton Transport disaster? Management were warned that would be a failure before it started but carried on with it anyway.
bee
I used to work for NWP and told them that a call center would not work to only be shut down and told it was what the customers wanted. Debated that he was wrong but of course they never are when at that level but they forget that it is the People on the floor that hear what the customers want and should value their feedback. unfortunately due to this mistake they have lost many good staff but as the saying goes their loss someone else's gain.
They abound
I heard they are going to centralise the breakdown service. They used to have BOTH the other way round - local service dept, central hire dept. What are they up to?
accessmon
A local landline number which directs you to the call centre in Birchwood. Only local if you’ve got a WA3 postcode. If you’re going to do something, do it properly.
TRay
I’m not the biggest fan of the big nationals, but fair play to Nationwide on this move. You really can’t run a national hire company from a one office. Local knowledge and interaction with the depot teams is critical.
These changes will take a while to have a positive effect, but others may need to adapt or be left behind.
zzr1200
Wincanton Transport was a disaster especially in East London/West Thurrock.
They had a system that worked, depot based transport, hire desk and some good managers, some not so.
Then the head office appoints new depot managers, area manager/directors, with new ideas/systems, people that haven't worked in access and don't know how it works on the ground. I was once told I should turn a Genie 135/70 in less than 2 hours.
Didn't get done, left NW soon after.
outofitnow
I'll never understand why the larger players feel the need to meddle with the business?
20 years ago, the hire desk was in the depot and the hire desk staff had relationships with each and every customer. The national players were served by their own contacts within NWP.
If it ain't broken, why fix it? Does anyone else remember the Wincanton Transport disaster? Management were warned that would be a failure before it started but carried on with it anyway.
bee
I used to work for NWP and told them that a call center would not work to only be shut down and told it was what the customers wanted. Debated that he was wrong but of course they never are when at that level but they forget that it is the People on the floor that hear what the customers want and should value their feedback. unfortunately due to this mistake they have lost many good staff but as the saying goes their loss someone else's gain.
They abound
I heard they are going to centralise the breakdown service. They used to have BOTH the other way round - local service dept, central hire dept. What are they up to?
accessmon
A local landline number which directs you to the call centre in Birchwood. Only local if you’ve got a WA3 postcode. If you’re going to do something, do it properly.
MEWPYMAN
They haven't though have they?!! Still got the customer service centre in Birchwood.
Closed Depots in Liverpool, Stockton, North Wales & Leeds just to name a few!
TRay
I’m not the biggest fan of the big nationals, but fair play to Nationwide on this move. You really can’t run a national hire company from a one office. Local knowledge and interaction with the depot teams is critical.
These changes will take a while to have a positive effect, but others may need to adapt or be left behind.